Chisana Onna
by Chaeann Bourne
Summary: Who would you choose if you had to decide between the man that made you forget your love for him after her went insane and attacked you and the man you fell in love with while not remembering his past? Was I wrong for my choice? Ban/Kag
1. Prologue

Chisana Onna

Prologue

I settled into my stroll along the well-worn path that I took every day to reach the lush spring that was the only reminder I had left of our mother and the womanhood I had hidden behind a boyish guise. My thin fingers brush strands of hair from my face as the sun hides behind the leaves of the trees above my head. I hum a soft tune as I can see the opening in the pathway that opened into the clearing momma would pick flowers in and weave into my hair.

I enter the clearing and stop in my tracks almost disgusted by what I saw. Lying before me was a half clothed young woman in a shredded white kimono top and cuts lining her slim body. Her hair was matted to her head with blood and she was knocked unconscious. She stilled smelled of purity and she was also of our own lineage. Her face was pale and flawless unmarked by any demonic markings and her shoulders were bare of a mating mark meaning she was either hiding or she was just lucky enough to not be claimed. Without a thought I heft her into my arms and behind the silent trek back to our mansion hoping big brother wouldn't find me and become angry. He's been in charge since father left to deal with the Northern Lord a few months ago. He said he would be returning within the year and he normally does.

I sneak through the barren hallways of the main floor knowing my brother's would be training in the dojo at this time of day and slip into my room. I open the large closet and pull out a smooth yukata before folding it over my arm and carrying the woman into my private osen. My brother's share one but I am female and do not wish to share with my male brothers.

I slowly pull her clothing from her body realizing that she was already healed and mostly likely due to an affinity for reiki. I slip my clothing off as well and carry her into the osen to begin washing the blood from her body. Once I wash her body I move to her long tangled locks and wash them thoroughly dislodging any blood from the ebony strands before putting sweet smelling oils in it to keep them smooth and untangled. I pull her from the osen with ease and begin drying her body while wrapping her long locks in a towel to help dry them. After her body is dried I wrap her in the soft yukata and settle her body in a chair before wrapping a towel around her shoulders and releasing her hair from their wrappings.

My fingers deftly braid her black hair skillfully leaving out her bangs like mother used to do for big brother and me when we were little. The woman is so petite. She is closer to my size and you can tell her body was used to traveling because her legs were toned and could easily handle days and maybe even weeks of travel. Her arms were strong most likely used to controlling a bow and possibly even a Shoge.

I pull her into my arms again and tip toe into a spare room on our win used for guest and sop when I see a maid in the room cleaning. "Miako…what a surprise to see you here….Ermmm…could you do me a small favor and watch over this woman. You see I found her on my way and she was so injured I needed to help her. She's one of us I can just feel it but I don't want big brother to find out about her or he might get mad like the last time I did something without telling him." She nods softly at my hurried explanation before folding the sheet of the futon down and signaling for me to put her on top of the futon. I nod and place the little woman in the bedding before folding the cover over her body and walking out of the room and over to my own room to get dressed so I could train.

I hop big brother won't be angry when he finds out. Last time we had somebody in the mansion without him knowing he got really angry and destroyed the left wing…and I mean literally destroyed the left wing.


	2. Chapter 1

Chisana Onna

Chapter One

It had been a little over a week since I brought the woman here and all of my brothers except for big brother found out about her. We've been keeping her a secret from big brother because she somehow exudes this aura that makes you want to protect her and care for her even when she unconscious.

We were all standing in the room speaking quietly not realizing big brother had come back from his walk after he got pissed this morning when he had to read fifteen marriage proposals. We do realize it when his voice coming from the doorway makes us all jump apart revealing the small woman.

"What exactly is going on?" He asks ad as we reveal her his eyes widen and narrow dangerous. "Who is behind bringing a woman into our house…JAKOTSU?" His dangerous eyes turn to me and I shrink back away from him fear trickling up my spine from his murderous gaze.

"Big brother I'm so sorry it's just I found her about a week ago and she was really beaten and bloody. I could tell she was one of us and she was unconscious. I couldn't leave her there alone to possibly become some demon's dinner!" I place my hands in front of me and his enraged eyes turn sad but retaining their fire.

"So you thoughts you'd hide this from me?" He narrows his eyes as we all nod and crosses his arms over his chest. "Why would you do something like this it's so stupid?"

"Please stop yelling at her…she saved my life." We all turn to the person whom the soft voice belonged to realizing how easily she saw through my boyish guise. I turn my gaze to my big brother to watch as his eyes narrow on her fiercely before softening once they meet her steady saddened gaze. I turn back to her and notice how crystal clear her azure eyes are. They are so large and innocent that it makes her look stunning and that's coming from a woman that is enamored by males.

"What's your name girl?" Big brother says resuming his composure and looking at her sternly she looks up at him fear entering her bright eyes before they harden with resolve and she dips her head a bit in a bow.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi…What's all of your names?" Her head swoops back up and my brother is once again struck frozen by her innocent and pretty face. "I would like to properly thank-you for taking me in. I was sure I would be dead."

Big brother's eyes dim at seeing her wide eyes darken with sadness. "My name is Bankotsu, that's Jakotsu; over there are Suikotsu, Renkotsu, Mukotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyokotsu." Her eyes taken in each person who is introduced and she smiles sweetly before pulling her body into a kneeling position and folding her hands on her lap and bowing her head respectfully in big brother's direction.

"Arigato Bankotsu-san…I am very appreciative for what you and your family have done for me." Her head only raises once to meet big brother's slowly softening gaze before she blushes and drops it down again.

"Everyone leave….Jak give Kagome some clothing and allow her to bathe. Make sure she is fed and comfortable. If she is your guest make she is treated properly. It is a bit past lunch but she will be eating dinner with us so nothing big." With that big brother leaves and so do my other brothers. I turn to the girl and watch as she giggles behind her hand.

"I hope I didn't surprise anyone with pointing out that you were a girl. I mean I couldn't tell by the clothing but your aura makes you out to be a female not to mention your features are much softer looking than a male's." She giggles again and I move to the closet pulling out a light grey kimono and laugh softly. She turns to me and upon noticing my small smile she smiles as well before standing slowly.

"No don't worry about it…my brothers are well aware of my being female however they often forget since our mother's passing. Don't worry about big brother…I could tell he frightened you a bit…he's a bit hard headed and can seem really mean but I swear he's a softie on the inside. He just tries to keep everything in some sense of normalcy when father isn't around. Here why don't you and I bathe before I how you the mansion. I'm sure you don't want to leave after just waking up." I smile and grab bathing supplies before moving toward the door. She follows silently behind me as I walk two doors down and enter my room to gather my own things. The small woman giggles again and takes her supplies from my hands as I try to shuffle everything around in my arms.

"I'm sure I can carry my own bathing supplies Jakotsu." She murmurs in a soft voice before rolling her eyes and following me to the door that separates our rooms. "Can I ask you something though…are you sure I'm allowed to stay your older brother seemed very angry that I was here?"

-Change POV- Kagome-

The steam hit my face as the woman in front of me opened the door to the private osen. For dressing like a male she seemed quite feminine. I guess you wouldn't want to dress like a girl with that many brothers around and no mother. I look up when she begins to speak and I'm struck again by how soft and high her voice is. "By big brother telling me to take care of your needs he also said that you are welcome in our home."

The woman slowly slips off the layers of material revealing her womanly body and soft tender curves. I smile and slip form the warm yukata before we both enter the osen.

"Come now why don't you dress as a woman for the day surely it can't be too bad?" I murmur poking at Jakotsu trying to get her to put on a kimono for me. It had been nearly a month since I awoke and I'd been trying to get her to dress as a female every morning.

She giggles and after she calms down she turns to me with only the bindings of her chest one and her undergarments. "Imouto, why do you keep asking me that? You know I will probably never dress like a female again, not since mother's death. There is no need for me to do such a thing." I frown and tap my chin gently as she hands me a kimono.

"Aneki, please I just want to see what you look like in a kimono. I wonder if Aniki will like it you know how he always talks about when you two were little before the others were born." A sad smile crawls onto her face when I start talking about Aniki and then she smiles and nods slowly deciding to go along with my plan. "So you'll wear one Aneki?"

"Hai, I will wear a kimono so long as you help me do my hair." I clasp my hands together quickly before nodding quickly and changing into warm clothing. I turn and watch as she slowly pulls on her kimono fastening it around her waist tightly enhancing her curves. "Say Imouto, do you even remember anything about your life before your accident?"

She looks over her shoulder at me and I frown and tap my chin trying to think back before shaking my head 'no'. "I'm sorry I don't even remember how I got attacked. That's why I stayed when you asked me to. I had no idea where to go Aneki and you all seemed nice enough except Aniki he was kind of mean. Heck he still is although sometimes he's really nice to you."

"Imouto you do know now that you are part of our family right?" I look up to see her soft eyes staring at me intently deciphering my features quickly. We had been close since the day I awoke and now I can honestly say I see her and everyone else like family.

"Of course Aneki, Otou-san told me that I was formally a part of the family last week. I'm the youngest though. I like Otou-san he reminds me of Aniki." Her eyes lighten from their seriousness and she shakes her finger at me before settling in a chair.

"Now, now Imouto I know you don't see Aniki like I do. You like him…a lot." I giggle as I begin to pull her long hair up into a cute bun using hair sticks before pulling out some strands and allowing them to fall down across her shoulders like she often does for me. Her bangs fall into her face and I brush them away before applying red gloss to her pale lips and then putting a soft shadow on her eyelids to make her pretty dark blue eyes pop.

"Arigato Imouto now switch me spots and I'll braid your hair and do your make-up." I do as she says and flutter my eyes closed enjoying the soft tugging of her deft fingers as she weaves my hair into a pretty braid the whole way back my head. Her small fingers leave my hair and move to my lips where she applies the same gloss I applied to her lips before shadowing my eyelids as well. I open my eyes and smile up at her as we stand together to walk down to dinner together.

Otou-san enjoys eating meals together all dressed up and looking nice although sometimes Aniki doesn't list and trains until dinner. Tonight just so happened to not be one of those nights because Aniki had to meet with a suitor all day and show her around even though he clearly disliked her. Aneki and I had fun laughing at her outrageous outfit and Aniki's face.

I walk into the room with my head down and bow softly before raising my head to smile sweetly at everyone who was currently at the table. Otou-san sat at the head of the table and two seats were to his left, one for me and one for Aneki, while Suikotsu sat beside the empty seat and Renkotsu sat beside him. Kyokotsu sat beside Renkotsu but a bit away because he was angry that he lost a duel today. Ginkotsu sat across from Renkotsu in his humanoid form and Mukotsu sat to his right. Aniki's suitor's father sat beside Ginkotsu and Aniki's suitor sat beside her father. Aniki sat to the right of Otou-san and his eyes find mine before they trace over my outfit like always. I blush softly and hurry to my seat. I turn to see Jakotsu hiding in the shadows of the doorway.

"Jakotsu what is taking you so long?" Aniki says but not loud enough to be considered rude. Aneki walks slowly into the room and our brothers gasp in shock at seeing her in a kimono. She glides to the chair beside me and sits down slowly blushing softly. "You look very nice Imouto."

"Arigato Aniki…" She mumbles before taking a bite of her food. I follow suit and eat slowly as every talks quietly among themselves.

"So Kasumi when pray tell did you add another onna to your family?" The older man asks eyeing me swiftly before returning his egotistical gaze to my Otou-san. I look up from my meal as Aniki does and I meet his heated gaze for only a moment before dropping my own.

"Yoshi-san, Jakotsu actually found Kagome unconscious on a walk and brought her back while I was away and meeting with the Northern Lord. My children cared for her until she awoke and allowed her to stay here with them because she remembers nothing of her life before she was attacked. It's no matter now she's become part of our family anyway."

"Kagome is a very nice person to have a round she is already like a sister to us." Aneki says brightly while lifting her head and giggling softly behind her hand upon seeing my blush. I look up after my blush fades and smile softly.

"She doesn't seem to talk much does she, Otou-san?" The woman whispers and I hear it as well as my family. I dip my head embarrassed and turn my flaming cheeks to my Otou-san. I'm shocked when I hear Aniki speak.

"She does speak Mira however she does not wish to be rude as your comments have both embarrassed her and angered her." He places a bite of food in his mouth and I stare openly at him for a moment my eyes taken in his relaxed features. His dark bangs hand into his dark steely blue eyes and his four point star shifts into view with even the slightest of movements. His lips pucker softly in thought as he awaits her reaction and his body is still and it is as toned as ever. I can see the lines of his muscle through the sleeves of his haori and inky black hair is tied back on his head. For once the strands of inky curls are loose and not tied back in a braid.

The woman turns to look at him just the slightest a bit hindered by the layer upon layer of formal kimono she was wearing. "What do you mean Ban-Chan; I was only stating that I found her a bit too quiet for my tastes?" I look up to see her glare at me. "Besides she is obviously very young due to her innocent nature. Honestly a demon her age should be able to take such a blow and now blush like a small infant."

"Sumimasen…gomen nasai…" I stand quickly and turn from the table hurrying from the room and out into the rolling hills of forest that surround the mansion. I sit on a large boulder and pull my knees to my chest tears threatening to spill from my eyes. I hear Aneki start shouting her anger getting the best of her.

"How dare you! You come into my house and insult my Imouto…you're lucky I don't rip your head from your shoulders wench!" I hear the door slam shut and then I hear her calling out to me and I shake my head as she finds me as quickly as she left.

"Please Aneki just leave me alone…she's right. Plus she's so much prettier than me." She sits beside me and I sigh softly and lean into her gentle hug.

"She is not prettier than you Imouto…she's ugly on the inside and what in the inside is all that really matters…everyone knows that. Don't worry about what she said I think your perfect just the way you are and so does everyone else in the family." I nod softly and she takes my hand pulling me up and toward the mansion again. I smile sweetly and we begin humming a tune together as we enter through the kitchen this time and walk into the parlor where our brothers are sitting with the exception of Aniki who disappeared.

"Where is Aniki…" I murmur softly and Aneki looks to me for a moment.

"Aniki when to the dojo to blow off some steam and his suitor and her father went to their rooms for the night. Aniki got very angry and flipped over the table scaring the onna half to death. He doesn't take kindly to people insulting his family. I believe Otou-san went with him to make sure he didn't destroy the mansion again." Renkotsu says softly while playing a game with Ginkotsu. They play every night and I still don't care to understand what it is.

"You mean he destroyed part of the mansion before?" I murmur shocked after I realize what he just said. Aneki sits down and rests her head in her palm before patting the seat next to her with her free hand. I kneel at her side and she looks to the ceiling.

"Yeah last time we brought someone home without telling Aniki he got really mad because it was a boy suitor that Otou-san was considering for me. He stormed off and he had been training so he had Banryuu with him. He sort of destroyed the entire left wing of the mansion meaning the boys had to move to a different part of the mansion until the left wing was repaired." I roll my eyes and know that destroying the left wing is entirely something Aniki would do if he got really angry. He has a really bad temper but usually Aneki and I can calm him down pretty easily.

Aneki lays back and closes her eyes falling asleep quickly. Otou-san opens the door his eyes weary and he settles on the floor before turning to me. "Kag-Chan will you please go out and try to calm Bankotsu down he's going to destroy the dojo at the rate he's going." I nod and stand swiftly before walking over to Otou-san and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

I follow the now well-known path to the dojo and enter through the shoji doors to see Aniki destroy and training dummy with one swipe of Banryuu. "A-Aniki…" He doesn't hear me and topples over a set of weapons before slamming Banryuu down to the floor.

-Change POV- Bankotsu-

"Aniki please stop you're scaring me…" Those words come to my ears in a soft voice and I whirl seeing the frightened azure eyes of Kagome staring back at me. Her small hands are clasped in front of her and her head is tilted down a bit so that her bangs cover part of her eyes.

"I'm sorry Imouto…" The name slips out by habit but I don't mean it…I don't love her as a brother would a sister. "I didn't scare you too badly did I?"

"Iie…I only thought you were going to hurt yourself with one of the weapons is all." She looks up at me her face brightening into a dazzling smile and her eyes closing softly as she tilts her head to the side. "Don't worry about apologizing it's okay now that you've calmed down!"

"Imouto it is not okay that wench openly insulted you in front of everyone and I won't except that." Her eyes find mine and she walks over to me before taking my hand in hers and leading me away from the dojo. Sparks fly through my arm and I almost like the feeling. It sends my heart into a quick rhythm.

"Aniki don't worry about what Mira-san said she's just uncomfortable in her new surrounds. She's afraid she's not worth your favor and can probably tell as easily as Aneki and I can that you don't like her. I don't mind that she insulted me, it doesn't matter to me because I can forgive her." Her bright eyes turn to the stars as she pats my hand with her before releasing it. Her lips curve up in a gentle smile and it takes all my control not to reach over and kiss her smiling lips. I shake away the feeling and smile softly turning my eyes to the stars.

"You looked nice tonight Imouto…as did Jakky. She looked very pretty I'm glad I could see that once more before I left for the Northern Lands with father. I only hope that before then I can find a woman to be my mate because the princess is less than polite when it comes to personal space." I turn my gaze to her a sliver of an idea flashing in my mind and apparently showing on my face because she catches my gaze.

"What is that look for Aniki? What are you planning? I know that look it means something is going on in that mind of yours." I chuckle and shake my head at how smart she actually is. Her lips part slightly and she turns to me and places her hands on her hips. "Well?"

"I just had this idea. It's a way to get the princess off of my case by making her think I have a mate to be already. I was thinking that since you aren't technically my sister you and I could pretend to be mates and get everyone to think it even my father. That way we can be married and nothing between us would change!" Her eyes widen and she giggles softly covering her mouth with her petite hand.


End file.
